Two realities put their fingerprints on me, the physical reality and the spiritual reality. The physical, earthly reality press relentlessly, assaulting my senses, vying for my allegiance with belligerence or cunning, and if I succumb, I have an ailed allegiance. Yes, in hostility, the world wages war to wrap my wishes in the here and now. Cunningly the world entices my desires promising present soothing, a self-serving semblance of security. All the while, the less visible yet more extant spiritual reality is overwhelmed by our senses and the apparent need of the immediate.
This battle between apparent physical reality and spiritual reality appears more visibly leveraged on the physical side of the balance as our eyes, ears, tastes and touches tie us with force to the world around us. The spiritual reality requires a diligent searching and exploration beyond what our senses seem to tell us. Not that our senses will not confirm the spiritual, but the physical frequently overwhelms the spiritual. Yet it is this spiritual, Godly allegiance that brings the oil into our lives; The oil that reduces the friction of ills rubbing against us to wear us down bringing us to ruin.
Just as in life, the immediate, the apparently more necessary task of the physical now, can do much to derail us from the deeper character of a well disciplined, relatively focused overall life. It should be that as we mature, we discover that, while there are many noble ventures, if we were to attempt to accomplish them all, we would in fact accomplish very little with any form of depth. Life would be shallow, scattered and mostly insignificant.
A life life lived most successfully is one uncovering our call, while setting in motion plans, distinct plans toward the continuation of the deepening of the call or purpose within our existence. None of us dream of having come to the end of our lives, disappearing off the planet with little impact or worldly benefit as the result of our toil. We all want our lives to count for something significant.
A squandered life is a sad one. Most of us would even go so far as to say a self serving, self centered life is a sad one, right? If nothing is more irritating than a life consumed and lived only for the satisfaction of itself, would a life lived in complete opposite have the complete opposite effect? Well, honestly, no. We would then live the derailed life of a scattered one, living and serving every need that comes our way, without a filter because another may be better suited to solve their problem. When someone comes to you with a legal issue, should you go as far as to represent them in court? Probably not if you aren't a lawyer. But will you tell them of a good lawyer you know? (and yes, there are many 'good' lawyers).
A balanced life is a life lived with greater content even in the face of disappointment and trials. The balance is found in the understanding of vacillating priorities that come our way. Sometimes I do need to take care of myself, other times I do need to take care of others. The most profound discovery in my life, has been that sometimes I need to let others take care of me. All this, part of the appropriate, correct balance of life.
There are two reasons why this balance does not occur. Our pride, and the fact that others are not looking hard enough into our life to see our need and make the sacrifice to help us, forcing us to either take care of the issue ourselves, or ask for help (but the second won't happen if we are steeped in pride). Honestly, most of us would point our finger at other's failure to meet our needs rather than point the finger at ourselves but when we do, we need to honestly ask the question:
What am I doing to sacrifice and meet the needs of others?
A life continually lived in defense, or with a belief of completely and fully doing so, is most likely living in a self-deceived state, as this question cannot be answered quickly.
So how does a life find balance? How does a life find their needs met? And the question of the century; How is what is happening now in civilization working for us?
Having now been unemployed for three months, I find my life wrestling with many questions. The foremost one being who am I? Followed by what am I to do? My career over the last 11 years has been led through change in such that I have insignificant tenure in any school district to remain employed, and even though many in the districts and schools I taught at would confirm my gift and abilities as top notch, I find myself unable to get a job, competing against many younger and more energetic potential candidates with the door to my career path seemingly closing. It is a potentially disturbing situation I live with.
I need help and ask for it. I pour myself into the expressive side of me (these blogs and other ways) with no result of income or ways and means for such. My wife and I have tightened our belts (thank God she has a fantastic job that pays well) and I press on, seeking balance, seeking truth, seeking my calling, seeking...God.
I find myself asking for His wisdom in this day, His call for my life, His desire to shape me into a man with His significance, His heart, His grace, His order forging discipline and care into my life. I have other friends in my same predicament with even more dire challenges, and I have many times been there too. I have been amazed at how often I settled for less and was severely disappointed. I also stand fully aware that I too have contributed to the disappointment of others, and the plethora of times I could have sacrificed just a bit more to make a huge difference in another's situation of life.
Rather than beat myself for these moments of coming up short, I choose now to rise and do, to listen and hear, to move and walk in a manner worthy of my God Himself. It is much larger than I can take credit for, requires more power and skill than I could ever dream of. I am tired of being a poor representative of Jesus Christ, and though I will fail, He will prevail through them. He has taken many of my poor choices and raised them to a level I cannot take credit for, but sincerely appreciate. It is not my decision and personal wisdom that I am touting, but the glories of God adding oil to my allegiance, to the friction of my life.
Our nation was built on balance. Our nation was built because we trusted in God. Don't believe me? Look on every piece of your money...oh that's right, we don't often use cash, so we don't often have such to look at, and even if we do, we overlook the 'truth' stated on each coin and bill. So how are things working for you? Has our nation, moving away from this belief solved and provided everything you need and desire as an American? Is it not time to stop looking for man's solution and wisdom to solve our national issues?
In my current state of employment, yes I continue to remain 'employed' by my God to be and do, and every day is filled with His call, His leading. I believe my life can be lived out in significance, and that won't happen with me planting my hind end on the couch watching blathering, insignificant media pouring fantasy in the name of reality into my life. It is time for a new venture, a new direction, a new place to be and go. Where? I will follow and listen to Him for today. I believe He is unfolding His call bit by bit, and that is enough for me.
Is it enough for you? Are you feeling what I feel? Are you growing weary of your daily experience? Are you looking for a 'savior'? I know one I can trust. He isn't and hasn't let me or any of my brothers and sisters down yet. He owns and designed the physical world as the spiritual one existed before the physical. It is time to put the 'worlds' in their right order. It is time to set the priorities straight. It is time to rise above that which we can see only with our eyes to see beyond the physical to God's revelation, God's leading, God's purpose for all of us.
The questions remain. Is our allegiance ailed? Or, do we find our allegiance oiled? Friction is a scientific fact or property of movement. As I look at many of my friend's lives, some seem relatively unaffected by worldly friction, while others seem to be ground on hard, life wearing and tearing their lives apart. Is it time to restore our allegiance to the only one who has proven to provide in the past, and present?
I can't explain it, but I have tried God and found His hope, His provision, His guidance, His wisdom, far greater than any I have found in the world. How about you?
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